Confessions of the Heart
by Destiny-Scouts
Summary: It's four years since Ash set out in the Hoenn region. Four years since he's seen Misty. But when she comes and gives him a surprise visit, how many things can go wrong? One-shot, please leave reviews! -Neriede


It would seem that once again, Ash stared into space. Although it was not uncommon for Ash to do so when things were quiet (however few those quiet moments occurred), somehow, it seemed that his stares were different now. Before there used to be a smile on his face and you could tell that he was thinking about battles, catching Pokèmon, training Pokèmon, anything about Pokèmon really. But now his stares had no smile, and you couldn't tell what he was thinking about.

"Ash, what're you thinking about?", May said, when she saw that Ash's stew was getting cold.

Ash didn't say anything, but he didn't go back to staring either. He simply lowered his face out of view and started to eat his stew. May gave Brock a worried glace, but Brock shook his head no. Ash suddenly stood up.

"I think I'll go to bed now", he said.

He turned his back on his half eaten stew and walked towards his sleeping bag. Pikachu looked up from his plate of Pokè-food and watched Ash lay down in his sleeping bag. He then picked up one of the round pieces of food from his plate in his mouth and carried it over to Ash.

"Pika!", he cried through the food in his mouth.

Ash sat up and Pikachu dropped the food in his lap. Ash picked it up and laughed a small and weak chuckle.

"That's okay Pikachu. I'm not hungry", he said and handed the food back to Pikachu, who looked at him with puzzlement and then took a bite out of the Pokè food.

"Pika", he sighed.

He finished the piece and then lay beside Ash.

May suddenly spoke out, "Oh! Where's Max?!"

"He went out on a walk and said that he'd be back around sunset", Brock replied.

"Well, it's sunset now!", May exclaimed, "He should be here by now!"

"I **AM** here!", a voice cried out behind them.

May turned and, upon seeing Max, exploded into a fit of rage.

"Where have you been?! You know you're not supposed to go out by yourself! Why…"

She went on and on. But Ash wasn't listening. He was listening to the voice in his head. He didn't know the answer to the question in the back of his mind, but he did know that his head was starting to hurt from thinking about it. Tired of thinking at all, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

§§§

Brock started to roll up his sleeping bag. Everything else was packed and all they had to do was roll up their sleeping bags.

"Aha! There you are!", someone sounded out of the silence.

Everyone turned around to see someone standing at the end of the clearing. Ash gasped and took a step backwards.

Brock smiled and yelled, "Misty!"

"Hey!", she replied and started to walk towards them.

"What are you doing here?", Ash asked.

"Well you don't seem too glad to see me"

"It's not that. It's just that… I haven't seen you in a long time"

"That's exactly why I came. What did you think, that I came out here just to give you another handkerchief?", she said sarcastically with a look to match.

Ash suddenly had a faraway look. He reached into his pocket and pulled a handkerchief out.

"Yeah, your handkerchief…", he said.

Misty's face softened.

"You still have it?", she asked.

Ash nodded. Misty then did something that nobody expected. She flung herself onto Ash and started crying.

"I've missed you so much!", she cried out.

She let go of Ash and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. There was complete silence. May was first to speak.

"So how did you get here from Cerulean City?"

"It took awhile, I walked, took buses, any means to get here"

"How did you know we were here?", Brock asked.

"I called Professor Oak and he said you were headed toward Fortree City"

"So what's been going on at the gym?"

"Well…"

The conversation continued, and it was just like old times. They talked and laughed. But deep in the bushes, someone was watching them.

"Jesse, do you see what I see?", Meowth asked.

"If you see all the twerps together, then yes", she replied.

She peered once again through her binoculars.

"Is this going to mess up our plans to capture the twerp's Pikachu?"

"No way! My newest plan is foolproof!"

"Jesse, we're out of food again!", said a hungry James from behind.

"Be quite! They'll hear us!", she whispered loudly.

Jesse turned her head to listen.

"So that's how you and May meet! But how could you toast her bike? It's becoming a habit for you, Ash!", Misty exclaimed.

Everybody laughed, while Jesse smiled evilly to herself.

§Fortree City§

"AUUGGHH!"

"Misty, calm down!"

Misty screamed again, as the circle of Pokèmon around her grew smaller.

"Misty, they're just Wurmple!"

"BUGS! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!", she yelled even louder as one started to crawl up her leg.

She finally gave out one huge scream, making the Wurmple more afraid of her than she was of them. They quickly scurried away.

"Hello? Is anyone there? Are you all right?", someone said.

A girl emerged out of the trees.

"WOW!", Brock said upon seeing her.

He went up to her and grabbed her hand.

"Oh everything's fine, now that you're here!", he said.

"Everything except your head", Misty said as she grabbed him by the ear and pulled him away.

"Hi, my name's Celesta. I heard screaming and came to see what was the trouble"

Ash laughed, "That was Misty. She's not too fond of bugs"

"Well, if that's all then--", she cut herself short when she saw Pikachu.

"Is that a Pikachu?! I've been looking for one for so long!"

"Whoa! Sorry but I can't trade Pikachu!", Ash said quickly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't being too clear. I only wanted to use your Pikachu as a model in one my paintings! You wouldn't mind would you?"

"Not at all!", Ash exclaimed.

Suddenly Ash's stomach growled. Celesta laughed.

"Why don't we go to my place and get some lunch?"

§§§

"Thanks for lunch, Celesta!"

"No problem! So, now that lunch is finished, would you mind if I did my painting of Pikachu now?", she asked.

"Sure"

Celesta smiled and started to set up her equipment.

As she put up her easel, Misty got up and walked toward the door.

"Where are you going Misty?", Brock asked.

"I think I'll go for a walk", she said and closed the door behind her.

"I'll go with her", Ash said to everyone's surprise.

"Pika Pika?", Pikachu asked.

"Don't you want to see Celesta do her painting?", Max asked.

"I'll see it later", Ash said, and hurried out the door.

"Misty!", he called after her.

Misty turned around.

"What?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to go on a walk also", Ash said.

"Oh, okay"

They started to walk in silence. They continued that way all the way through town. They finally got to the edge of town.

"I guess we should start going back now", Ash suggested.

"Hold on, I think I see a lake over there. I want to see"

"Alright"

They walked all the way to the lake and Misty sat down and sighed.

"Something wrong?", Ash asked.

"You've changed"

Ash looked at her with shock.

"Not in a bad way", she added, "Just, you know, changed"

"What do you mean?"

"Well there's the fact that you're taller than me now", she laughed, "But you've also changed character. You've grown up, if just so little"

She looked at him and smiled.

"Hey Ash, can I have your opinion on something?"

"Uh, sure"

"If you liked someone, I mean, really liked someone, and they liked you but not in the way you liked them, how long would you wait for them?"

"What do you mean?"

"Ash, is there… someone you consider special to you?"

"How special?"

"Someone you really love and would do anything for"

"Well, there is this one girl…"

"Oh", she looked disappointed.

"Why do ask?"

"Don't you get it Ash?"

"Get what?"

"Don't you understand what I'm trying to say?"

"No"

Misty looked extremely hurt. Then she did something. She reached behind her head and then as hard as she could, she slapped Ash. Ash gasped and fell on his back.

"Misty why did you do that?", he asked while rubbing his cheek where Misty had hit him.

"Not only is there another girl that you love, but you don't even care to notice when I try to tell you!", she cried and then started to run away.

"Misty, what are you talking about?!", he called, running after her.

Misty ran into the forest, but as soon as Ash went in, he had no idea where to go, not seeing what part of the forest she had run into. So he turned around and ran back to town. The sun was setting, and not to many people were out. Finally reaching Celesta's house, he burst in.

"Misty ran away!", he yelled.

"What?!", May said.

"We were talking and then she slapped me and took off"

"What did you say to her?", Brock asked.

Ash told him the conversation that he and Misty had just recently had. Brock sighed.

"She was trying to tell you that she loved you", he said.

"What? No, you must be wrong Brock! She hit me, she must hate me. For what reason, I don't know, but she doesn't love me! How could she love me?"

"Because I know. You weren't awake when I found out that she loved you"

"What do you mean you found out?"

"You were asleep. I couldn't, so I was just laying there and all of a sudden Misty started singing. She was singing about how she wanted tell you how much she loved you but she was afraid that you would break her heart. And it looks like you did"

Brock's words cut right into Ash.

"You mean…?", he started, but instead of finishing he fell to his knees and cried.

"Ash?", Max asked.

"I lost her", he said, "She could've been mine, but I had to be a big dofus and lose her"

"Where did she run off to?", May asked.

"She went into the forest on the other side of town"

Ash suddenly got up and opened the door.

"Where are you going?", Celesta asked.

Ash, however, had already slammed the door shut. Ash ran. Ran away farther away from where he had been so close, yet had lost her. Suddenly a hand grabbed the back of his collar.

"Where are you going? You have to go back and make things right!", Brock said.

"I CAN'T!", Ash yelled.

"Yes you can! I've known for a long time that Misty loved you, and I can tell that you had feelings for her too. I never intervened because, you two had to start it, not me. And you're the one who has to fix it now, or it's never going to start!"

"But she hates me now", Ash said quietly.

"No, she doesn't. If her feelings for you are as strong as I think they are, she's out there in the forest, crying her heart out, hoping that you'll come and find her and say sorry. So that she can say sorry too"

Ash didn't say anything.

Suddenly there was big burst of smoke that enveloped them.

"What happening?", Brock said, coughing.

"Prepare for trouble!"

"Oh no", Ash said.

"Make it double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

The smoke started to clear. Team Rocket was in their Meowth balloon.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jesse!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!"

"I don't have time for this!", Ash shouted.

"Pika Pika!", Pikachu exclaimed.

Ash looked down and saw Pikachu. He must of come after him and Brock.

"Pikachu, Thundershock!"

Pikachu jumped up and released a charge of electricity.

"PIKA!"

Pikachu landed back on the ground. The attack hadn't even left a scratch! Team Rocket started to laugh.

"You fool! This whole balloon is Pika-proof!", Jesse said before laughing again.

"Look, I don't have time for this!", Ash yelled, pulling out a Pokèball.

"Go, Swellow! Aerial Ace!"

Ash's Swellow came out of the Pokèball and launched an Aerial Ace attack at the balloon.

All of a sudden, there was a large popping sound, followed by Team Rocket yelling, "Team Rocket's blasting off again!", and then they were gone.

§§§

Out in the forest, Misty was sitting down, and crying.

"Gosh Ash, why do you have to be so stupid?!", she cried out to the darkness.

Her shirt was soaked with tears, her face streaked with trails of tears.

She got up and hit a nearby tree. Then another. And another. She kicked the ground. Kicked the rock that she had been sitting on. Hit anything that she could. She had to let it all out. If she didn't then she was going to explode. She had to let go of the anger, the disappointment, the hurt,…the love. But she couldn't let it go. She still loved him. But part of her didn't want to. Part of her wanted to let go of all the pain that came with the love. But the other part wanted to love him forever, beyond the barrier of friendship. She threw herself onto the ground and cried harder because she knew she couldn't have it both ways.

§§§

"You have to go Ash!"

"No! Even if she ever did love me, she doesn't anymore!"

Brock sighed.

"You're afraid, aren't you? Afraid that if you go back and find her, that she'll turn you away"

Ash stared at him. Then he turned and ran, and this time, Brock didn't stop him. He ran and ran. Ran through though town. Through the trees. Through the forest. Ran until he came into a clearing. Team Rocket was there. Ash hid behind a tree and watched them. Jesse was on her knees and hands.

"WHY?! WHY?! Why can't we ever win?!", Jesse said, pounding the ground.

Ash started to feel sorry for them. He knew that Team Rocket was pathetic, but he had never seen them this pathetic. Jesse was pounding the ground and crying. James was looking off into the trees. Meowth was watching Jesse with a sad look.

"The boss is going to be so mad with us!"

Ash emerged from the trees.

"Then why don't you quit Team Rocket and become good?", he asked.

Jesse stopped pounding and looked at him.

"What do you want twerp?"

"I was just saying, that you'd probably be happier being good"

"What makes you think we're no happy now?", James said coldly.

"Besides, the only reason I joined Team Rocket was because… well, because…", Jesse said, starting to blush, glancing at James.

"Because of someone special to you?", Ash offered as an end to her statement.

"Well, I guess you could say it like that", she said.

"Why haven't you told this guy that you like him?", Ash asked.

"Because I'm afraid that it'll ruin our friendship", Jesse said.

"So, that shouldn't matter, if they mean a lot to you then you should tell them, before it's too late"

"But-- Wait a minute, what am I talking to you for?!", Jesse said suddenly, "Lets go guys!", and with that Team Rocket ran away with a distant, "See ya'!"

Ash was left standing in the middle of the clearing. Ash started out into the forest. The realization had stuck him. He had to go back. He started to run. Even though his feet were tired from all his running, he still ran.

§§§

Misty had stopped crying and was sitting on the rock again. Her shirt and jeans were dirty but she didn't care.

"Misty!", someone called out.

Misty gasped when she recognized the voice as Ash's.

"Misty, where are you?!"

Misty tried to run, but her legs wouldn't let her. All she could do was hope that Ash didn't find her. But there he was, coming out from behind some trees, and her breath seemed to just stop. Ash stopped a few feet away from her.

"Misty, I'm sorry", he breathed.

Misty ran up to him and put her arms around him, crying. He held her as she continued to sob.

"I'm sorry too Ash", she said, "It's just that you didn't get that I was trying say, and then you said that you liked another girl--"

Ash cut in, "Misty, there wasn't another girl. It was you"

She looked up at him, "It was…me?"

Then she started to laugh. At first it was a weak laugh, but it grew. However, Misty had been crying so much, that laughing made her tremble. Ash held her tighter and she stopped laughing. She looked deep into his eyes, and saw longing. She doubted that he wasn't seeing the same thing in her eyes. She closed her eyes, the distance between them getting smaller and smaller, until there was no distance between them. Both felt that they had risen off of Earth and were in a world all their own. Ash broke the kiss and looked at Misty.

He whispered, "I love you, Misty"

Misty laid her head on his shoulder and said, "I love you too Ash"


End file.
